


Cost of War

by slashshipper



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, Near Death, Post-War, Promises
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-11-08 09:25:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11078733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slashshipper/pseuds/slashshipper
Summary: I'm not good at this. Sakura and Ino save Neji's life. Meh. Just read pls. :)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just getting back into the groove of writing so I'll probably be posting lots of short stories like this. I hope you enjoy. I don't own these characters but if I did well it'd be this way lol.

Bodies lay all over the field, some groaning out their last breaths. Some still alive, but better off dead. Shikamaru’s stomach was flipping violently at the sight. The war had ended in the Shinobi Alliance’s favor, but so many were lost.

He swallowed back the bile filling his mouth as he approached a rather curious scene. Ino and Sakura were hunched over a body, tiredly pouring their healing chakra into it. Their bodies sagged but their eyes held a burning determination to save a life. Lee was there too, Shikamaru noticed, holding his breath as he stared over the two kunoichi.

“What’s going on?” The Nara said to the green clad ninja, but he just continued to stare with bated breath.

“They’re… They’re trying to stop the bleeding,” a low, feminine voice said behind him.

The man turned to see, “TenTen… What happened?” His brows furrowed as he looked down at possibly the only casualty of their class. And after all he had lost already in this war he stood to lose more. He flopped down to his knees a little way away from Neji’s head, watching with hard eyes.

“He saved N-Naruto and Hinata,” she said with a sniffle, she refused to cry right here on the battlefield.

Shikamaru didn’t reply, he just recalled a memory before the war, when Neji promised him he wouldn’t put Hinata’s life above his. He’d promised to see Shikamaru when this was all over. To hear he sacrificed himself cut the shadow ninja deep.

\----

He doesn’t know how long they waited there, him stroking Neji’s pale face, the rest watching closely as the two medical kunoichi worked. There were in a bubble of suspense, that was burst when Sakura and Ino fell back onto the bloodstained ground, grins on their dry lips.

The onlookers all let out a sigh of relief, but with Shikamaru’s came a rush of tears. He almost hated the man for leaving him, but now that was over.

“He’s stable,” Sakura mumbled out as her eyes slipped shut.


	2. Meeting Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji wakes up and Shikamaru fights about confronting him.

It had taken almost a week for Neji to wake up and Shikamaru was a mess the entire time. His mind raced to a future where the Hyūga didn’t recover and he couldn’t handle it. The Nara stayed by his side the entire time, tending to the unconscious Hyūga when Sakura and Ino weren’t there to.

The day Neji’s eyes opened there was a storm raging outside the tents and few buildings already erected in the Leaf. Shikamaru was making sure everything was secure when he heard the low voice, raspy from not being used in almost a week.

“S-Shikamaru?”

The spiky haired man spun around, eyes wide in shock, “yeah… welcome back.” He mumbled the words, but he knew the other man heard him. Neji didn’t say anything, so Shikamaru busied himself with getting some water for him. He held the small cup and the Hyūga sat up to take it, eyeing him.

“How am I… back? I was dead.” The Hyūga said after a few sips of water.

“You were close, but Ino and Sakura were able to stabilize you before it was really too late.”

“So it ended in our favor then?” Neji laid back against the pillows Shikamaru had just fluffed up.

“We’re alive aren’t we?” With nothing left for his restless  
hands to do he shoved them into his pockets and watched the Hyūga with his normal sleepy eyes, though he was really scanning him over closely.

Neji just hummed in response, his pale gaze focusing on one of the clear patches in the tent meant to be a window. The rain was falling harder now, the patter of it against the material was loud in their silence.

“You said you wouldn’t, so why? Why did you throw yourself away for her?” The Nara’s voice was low, slightly shaking with his efforts to not shout the words at his lover.

“You would not understand Shikamaru, just let it be,” Neji said tiredly, not wanting to explain himself.

“Leave it be?” His brows shot up before he started to laugh whole heartedly, he thought he was definitely losing his mind right now. After composing himself the Nara spoke again, “you’re funny Neji… I’ve been here everyday since you were laid on this bed and forgotten by all except the two kunoichi who saved you… Hinata has been here once and you just-“

“As Heiress Lady Hinata has more important things to deal with besides a fallen comrade.”

“Cousin you mean. The one who almost died to save her, but of course.” He nodded, his nerves were on fire, he wanted to shout and curse and let Neji know how fucked up its been for the past 6 days. He couldn’t of course.

“See, you don’t get it. Lady Hinata and Naruto will change the way the Hyuga operates. It will be different for all the Branch Family members. My little cousins and uncles and aunts don’t deserve this curse,” He spat out the last word, rising slightly from his relaxed position.

“And you didn’t deserve to die for her! You could have worked to change things, but you decided to sacrifice yourself… to leave me here all alone.”  
Neji recoiled against the pillows as if the Nara had hit him. He knew Shikamaru’s father fell in the midst of everything but at that time his mind was on saving Naruto.

“It was for Naruto. He’s changing the entire world Shika, not just the Hyūga. When I saw the spikes coming for him I just had to.” The use of his nickname had him deflating already, he really was exhausted from all of this worry. He’d hardly slept worrying over his boyfriend and overthinking this very moment. “I did not want to leave you Shika, but it was better me than him.”  
The Nara nodded, he could understand that thought. Everyone in their generation held a special place for the Uzumaki, not one of them would hesitate to take his spot with death. “He’s come a few times to sit with you, just ti tell you how his progress is going so far. He met with Hiashi and Kakashi-sama just yesterday.”

“Kakashi-sama?”

“He’s the sixth Hokage.” Neji’s brows raised, he was thoroughly impressed with their sensei. “You slept through a lot.”

“I see…” Slowly Neji lifted himself into an upright position, swinging his legs over the edge carefully. He didn’t make a move to stand, only to reach out for Shikamaru’s hand and tug him over. “I am truly sorry for what I did. I should have thought about you as well as my clan.” His white eyes looking up to find the face he loved so much as he brought the tanned hand to his lips, kissing it gently before nuzzling against it.

Tears sprang to his eyes as he watched Neji, his other hand coming up to comb through clean but tangled hair. “You’re alive so I cant exactly complain about your choice.”

“Mm, I see now it could have been a foolish choice…”


	3. Troublesome Hyūga

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emotions? Uh just read please!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse any typos, also I don't own Naruto or my geniuses would be happy together. I love feedback, your comments make me wanna write more. I hope you enjoy!

Neji sighs as he gazes over at the seemingly sleeping ninja across the tent. Shikamaru has been walking him through his arduous recovery and he felt a warmth spread throughout his body. He never thought himself worthy of this kind of devotion… always the devotee. But here this young Nara was, proving him wrong. Neji was in awe that this man was his, loyal to him, second now only to the Village. He never really let that sink in before he almost lost his life. It was safe to say he saw things differently now.

“It’s troublesome when you stare for so long,” a gruff, sleepy voice filled their ‘home’ and Neji realized Shikamaru had turned to face him at some point. His sleepy gaze burned into the Hyūga even in the dark.

“I was just thinking...” he trailed off, leaving it open for the Nara to dig deeper if he felt like it. It was roughly 2am and Neji saw no need to keep his guardian from his rest.

There was a long pause before Shikamaru spoke again, “you gonna share or what?” He had propped up his pillow to give him some elevation before he began to rub at his tired eyes.

“Are you sure you would not prefer to sleep?” The Hyūga queried softly, sitting up with his legs crossed beneath him.

Another huff of ‘troublesome’ met his ears along with the rustling of blankets and Shikamaru was facing him. “I wouldn’t have offered if I wanted to sleep so spill it Hyūga.”

A small smile formed on Neji’s lips, his head tilting to the side to ponder his next words. Just before the war had begun, Neji and Shikamaru had been in a friends-with-benefits relationship that was becoming more strained every day. The Hyūga knew that realistically he was expected to marry someone of the elders choosing, but he was falling in love with the shadow-ninja. He would try to be cold when they were alone, keeping everything business. Shikamaru, though, always seemed to get under his skin somehow. Now he was positively consuming Neji. Every thought involved the tanned male and Neji couldn’t say he hated it. He was in love and after all that had happened he believed he could be a bit selfish with his future. “I… I love you.” Shikamaru said nothing, and Neji felt a sharp pang in his chest. He opened himself all the way just to be turned down. The Hyūga’s smile dropped into a frown just as a sharp gasp for breath filled the room. “Shikamaru?” His healing body protested against his too quick movements, but something told him he needed to get closer. “What’s wrong?” His brows pulled together as his frown deepened and he squatted beside the Nara’s bed.

Shikamaru was stunned speechless and stabbed through the chest all at once. He had lost so much and almost stood to lose more had it not been for the blonde and pink duo. In this moment, he owed them everything he had. He couldn’t stop the tears sliding down his cheeks as he sat up and pulled the Hyūga close to him. With his face hidden against the crook of a pale neck he sighed out, “I love you, you troublesome Hyūga.”

Neji felt his heart soar and he wrapped the crying man in his arms tightly, holding onto him like a life line. “Thank you for all of this, you’ve been strong for my recovery even after…” He trailed off knowing Shikamaru would know what he meant. “Just thank you Shikamaru.”

His words didn’t calm his shaking boyfriend. The Nara fisted his hands in the back of Neji’s white sleep shirt as he sobbed out quietly. He calmed after a few minutes, murmuring before planting a soft kiss to Neji’s neck, “I’m just glad you’re okay. You don’t understand Neji.” He shook his head, biting down on his lower lip. He pulled the Hyūga onto his cot, welcoming him under his blanket and snuggling against his chest as Neji circled his arms around him again.

The Hyūga pressed his smiling lips to soft brown hair, his eyes slipping shut. He felt the warm sigh against his chest as the Nara tried to get closer. Neji couldn’t believe he was willing to toss the strong, beautiful, genius before. _Idiot… never again._


End file.
